Sean P. McGinley Law Blog

In 2009 in West Virginia, 17 reported accidents involving tractor-trailers became part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System, meaning at least 17 people died in West Virginia because of tractor-trailer collisions.  Thousands more were injured because of collisions with 18-wheelers and other large vehicles.... Read More

Truck accidents often have different causes than other motor vehicle accidents.  And because of the huge size and height of trucks, the damage that results from a trucking accident is often far more severe than an accident involving smaller vehicles.... Read More

The practice of medicine always carries with it a certain amount of risk. The majority of the time, patients are fully informed by their physicians as to what type of risk is entailed, and how much to expect, for various procedures.... Read More

According to media reports, a 37 year-old coal miner died in May, 2011 after being pinned beneath a piece of equipment in Logan County in southern West Virginia.  The man was killed Saturday night at Apogee Coal's Guyan Surface Mine in the Yolyn area of Logan County. ... Read More

According to media reports, in May, 2011, a jury awarded $3.75 million in damages to a 75-year-old man seriously injured when a delivery truck ran a stop sign and hit his pickup truck.  A Highway Patrol report said the delivery truck ran through the stop sign and hit the older man’s pickup, which then crashed into a light pole. ... Read More

When West Virginians go to a doctor they have a right to expect appropriate care.  That certainly includes reacting quickly in order to save a baby in distress during childbirth. There are certain reasonable standards and protocols doctors and nurses in West Virginia (and throughout the country) always must follow, because if they do not, the most vulnerable among us, newborn children, can suffer immeasurably.... Read More

Trains can be deadly. Every 90 minutes, a train accident occurs in the United States. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there were 11,151 train accidents in 2010, resulting in 746 deaths.  From 2001 to 2010, sixty-nine (69) people were killed by trains in West Virginia. Many of these WV railroad accidents are preventable.... Read More

Motor vehicle crashes in West Virginia and the United States are the leading cause of death for people of every age from 3 through 34 (based on 2007 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Nationwide, in 2009, 33,808 people were killed in the estimated 5,505,000 police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes; 2,217,000 people were injured; and 3,957,000 crashes involved property damage only.

Tragically,... Read More

Asbestos in West Virginia and throughout the world became increasingly popular among manufacturers and builders in the late 19th century because of its sound absorption, average tensile strength, and its resistance to heat, electrical and chemical damage.

When asbestos is used for its resistance to fire or heat, the fibers are often mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats. Asbestos was used in some products for its heat resistance, and in the past was used on electric oven... Read More

When auto accidents occur on West Virginia roads and streets, it often is because proper safety precautions are not taken. 

In some cases, the accident occurs because the State has not safely and properly maintained or designed the street or road itself.  For example, the State and its contractors should not leave large potholes in the road, or build a road along a steep cliff without a... Read More